Devoted To You || Gilbert Blythe

L

~𝒜𝒹𝒶~
Ecstatic. A noun. Meaning, subject to or in a state of ecstasy; full of joy; rapturous:
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In the quietude of the night, I found myself cradling Delphine, who had stirred in her sleep. The soft cries grew louder, prompting me to gently pick her up and sway back and forth, trying to soothe her.

"Come on, Delly." I whisper as I walk around the room with her. "I have a very busy day ahead of me."

Gilbert and I have to go to Charlottetown to go over the funeral arrangements. It's been a few days since Mary left us. It has been very hard but we have been doing our best. We agreed to take turns taking care of Delphine, to make things easier on Bash.

I hold her close to my chest, trying to calm her down. In the hushed atmosphere, the echoes of "Lavender Blue" began to escape my lips, a lullaby that my mother would sing to me. I'd heard Mary singing it to Delly in the early stages of her pregnancy. The sweet melody danced in the air, and I swayed in front of the window.

"Lavender's blue, dilly dilly,
Lavender's green.
When I am king, dilly dilly,
You shall be queen."

As the song unfolded, Delphine's cries gradually softened, as if the verses carried a magic all their own. The lilting notes hovered in the air, creating a cocoon of peace around us.

"Who told you so, dilly dilly,
Who told you so?
'Twas my own heart, dilly dilly,
That told me so."

"Ada?" Gilbert's voice, a tender murmur, broke through the quiet as he entered the room, concern etched across his face.

I flinched when I heard his voice making Delly whine. "I didn't hear you come in," I admitted, adjusting my hold on Delphine.

"Sorry she just seemed to be crying more than usual." His gaze lingered on the scene, a shared understanding passing between us. "But she seems to have found comfort in your song," he observed, a hint of a smile softening his features.

I nodded, feeling the weight of the night lift momentarily. "I thought a familiar melody would be— comforting." I chuckle.

Delly's whines morph back into a cry. I sigh, patting her bum. I hum the lullaby once more, though she can barely hear it.

"Might I make a suggestion?" Gilbert asks. I nod in response and he takes Delphine from my arms. He grabs one of her blankets and swaddles her. Her cry goes back to a subtle whine. I clap softly before falling back onto my bed.

"Mary made this seem so easy." I yawn.

Gilbert placed Delly beside me before taking a seat on the bed. "You're doing a remarkable job, Ada. Mary would be proud of how you're caring for Delphine."

I smile at his compliment. My eyes are drawn to the ceiling and a sigh escapes my lips."You know, six months ago, I would've never imagined I'd be back here, singing lullabies in the middle of the night to my best friend's baby," I confessed, my gaze drifting back to Delphine's peaceful state. "But I'll do whatever it takes to give her the love and comfort she needs."

Gilbert's eyes held a mixture of curiosity and concern. "Where did you see yourself?"

"At that point, I saw a Finishing School graduate, a—"